After about a two-hour bus journey, we arrived in Belley, the Birthplace of the Society of Mary.
Our first stop was at La Capucinière, now a house containing archives; it was the first house owned by the Marists. Through the shelves of stored books, we could see the two steps of the choir of the old chapel where Father Colin was elected Superior General on 24 September 1836. A group photo was taken in front of the entrance door for a local newspaper. As always, taking a group photo takes time!
The second stop around midday was the Petit Séminaire de Belley, now Lamartine College. The pupils were on break while Sister Teri O’Brien sm, explanationed about the history of the place, near the statue of Saint Peter Chanel, a former student of this school. In 1829, Monsignor Devie appointed Jean-Claude Colin as head of the college. He discovered another aspect of the Society's mission: the education of young people. The statue of Mary overlooking the courtyard dates from this period (1833).
The third and final stop took us to the Maison de Bon-Repos of the Marist Sisters. We felt like we were in a maze as we made our way to a lounge to have our picnic lunch. This lounge was where Fr. Colin would visit the Sisters to ask for their prayers. Though the place was a bit crowded, the sisters offered us a wonderful welcome and some Bugey wine. After the meal, we took a brief tour of the premises: Fr. Colin's well, the inner courtyard, the outer courtyard, their cemetery, followed by a quick visit to the museum dedicated to their founder, Jeanne-Marie Chavoin.
Finally we enjoyed Sister Teri’s presentation on Bugey in Colin's time and Bugey today. She shared a beautiful PowerPoint presentation showing us the similarities between Bugey yesterday and today. One particularly striking (recent) image was a photograph of a cross on a tabernacle; the cross trapped in a spider's web. During the Eucharist, we prayed particularly for those who strive to keep these places alive.
Before leaving, the Sisters offered us refreshments: another glass of Bugey wine with a brioche. We are always well received by the good Marist Sisters – thank you for their kind welcome!
Brother Mario Béland, SM (Canada)
